The contest will award $10,000 and a feature on the National Geographic Travel Instagram to the overall winner.

Entries in this year's city category are some of the most eye-popping to have been shared with the public so far. National Geographic has been kind enough to grant us permission to show some of the best images submitted.

(Please click on the image for full-page resolution)

The Golden Gate dream

An aerial view of the Golden Gate bridge in the late afternoon with the Marin headlands in the background.Photograph: Tosin Arasi/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Motorcycle Waterfall

Motorcycles are very popular in Taiwan because of the density of people and low cost. Working hours every day. TaipeiBridge has a large number of motorcycles. It looks like a spectacular waterfall.Photograph: M Chak/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

It’s just another day

During the night, dense fog rises off the Yamuna river and hides the Taj Mahal. At sunrise, the marble of the Taj Mahal begins to reflect the growing light, which, filtered by the drifting and dissipating fog reveals the Taj Mahal glowing with increasing beauty. For the people who live nearby it is just another day at the office. For those of us visiting it is a spectacular experience.Photograph: Mike Watson/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Ray Warrior

I captured the light trace of the cars under the junction of the highway in Kyoto.Photograph: Gentarou M/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest.

Botanic Garden

The famous high Supertree Grove made by steel for tourists in Gardens by the Bay at Singapore from a drone.Photograph: Son Tong/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Behind the Hollywood sign

Sunset over the city of angels, shot behind the Hollywood sign. I couldn't use my tripod for this shot as the fences behind the sign were too high, so I had to hand hold my camera above the fence, hoping to get the shot I wanted. After a few tries and a few seconds of good light I got the shot I wanted. Photograph: Luc Mena/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

A Palace for the People

Architectural beauty doesn't stop at the old awe-inspiring palaces in St. Petersburg. Going into the underground opens up a real feast for the eyes while walking through the marvellous metro stations.Photograph: Christian Baumgartner/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

The Pink Colour World

"The Site of Reversible Destiny" is set in one corner of Yoro Park, famous for the Yoro waterfall, Gifu, Japan. This is a fantastic theme park. Here artist Shusaku Arakawa and poet Madeline Gins realized their bold and reckless 30-year vision with the Site of Reversible Destiny—Yoro Park. Once you enter, you will not be able to hide your surprise at the Site’s scale and the various mysterious objects within. Every photograph taken here will be a Fine Art. Photograph: Tetsuya Hashimoto/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Village of Rainbow

Choi Hung estate, literally meaning "the Village of Rainbow" in Cantonese, is a neighbourhood with very vivid paint job in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Look how the drying laundry resembled emojis! Photograph: Haitong Yu/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest

Fog taking over a town during sunset

I decided to take a cross country trip by myself and it was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Seeing our country and how much it has to offer was truly something magical. This was the town of Sausalito, Ca being overwhelmed by fog. It was amazing to watch from above. This was taken with a drone. Photograph: Ricky Batista/National Geographic Travel Photographer of the Year Contest